5G opens the door to major technological advancements that need to be powered by higher speeds and higher capacities.

This will impact not only our personal lives through technologies such as wearables, but also the business environment through smart transportation, smart cities and better ways of working.

Conversations around 5G frequently refer to Internet of Things (IoT) applications such as smart appliances and fast connectivity for consumer devices. However, the rapid deployment of this robust network can also open up a range of new economic opportunities for businesses. In this regard, 5G can drive employee engagement and productivity in a number of ways:

Reliability: 5G is expected to be more reliable than its predecessor, meaning technical issues such as dropped calls or dropped network connections can be prevented. As businesses increasingly rely on an always-on network to provide vital services to customers and the public, an always-on network will support more "critical" use cases.

Flexibility: Network slicing will allow the physical network to be divided into multiple virtual networks, enabling users to use the right "slice" according to their needs, essentially creating their own network. This means businesses can prioritize traffic while keeping the network secure.

Greater capacity: 5G networks will be better able to support high-volume applications so that data-intensive and hyperscale businesses can support their workloads through the cloud or through data center storage, allowing them to scale at will.

The importance of digital infrastructure

5G will be much faster and much lower latency than 4G, meaning there will be little or very little lag when connecting devices using mobile networks. These capabilities promise to significantly change the end-user experience and introduce new digital realities with minimal disruption. Robust 5G infrastructure is critical to enabling advanced and next-generation technologies such as connected cars and smart cities, while also creating opportunities for businesses.

As the volume of data from external transactions, internal processes, intelligent monitoring and AI analysis grows rapidly in the modern enterprise, 5G will be the service of choice needed to ensure that data is transmitted and processed quickly for smooth operation. However, the 5G technology that powers these processes will rely on a robust digital infrastructure provided by telecom organizations. And close collaboration between local governments and third-party innovators, through high-speed, all-fiber connections, will also be key to making 5G a reality.

Evolving workplace culture

If 5G delivers on everything it promises, many expect it to support the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in which everything is connected, processed, and digitized.

So what do these enhanced capabilities actually mean for the workplace? 5G will be a key driver of business decisions in the near future, enabling companies to expand employee searches to places that might have previously been considered too remote. Talent pools can now be opened up globally, and with improved connectivity, complex remote work is not only possible, but effortless.

As work-from-anywhere (WFA) continues to be an effective way to work, and as companies move storage to the edge to accommodate long-term shifts in work culture, businesses will want to get 5G connectivity to ensure data is available in the cloud or Center for efficient storage and processing.

The Covid-19 pandemic has become a great testing ground for the future of work, as most companies have resolved their initial nascent problems. It now looks like remote work is about to become a more permanent change for many, and businesses will want to adjust their models accordingly — and 5G will help accommodate that process.

Prepare for the future of work

5G will have a lasting impact on the workforce in many ways. But most notably, it will help democratize employment opportunities and better empower frontline workers, who are often excluded from corporate culture.

For most industries, 5G will pave the way for more efficient collaborative work, regardless of geographic location, while delivering technological enhancements such as lower latency and more consistent reliability, increased productivity and increased revenue. As we approach the future of work, 5G will be a milestone in empowering digital workers and businesses alike.